Emergency Management & Service Continuity (EMSC): Tools for Resilient Housing Organizations Connections 

What you can expect:

This webinar will introduce the Emergency Management & Service Continuity (EMSC) Program and planning resources that help housing providers prepare for emergencies and maintain essential operations during disruptions. Participants will learn about risk assessment, emergency planning, service continuity strategies, and practical tools.

Hear from representatives of BC Society of Transition Houses (BCSTH) and a transition housing provider that has implemented Emergency Management and Service Continuity planning as they share lessons learned, challenges and practical advice for strengthening organizational resilience and protecting critical services during emergencies.

Panelists Include:

Amy S. FitzGerald, Executive Director, BC Society of Transition Houses (BCSTH)

Amy S. FitzGerald is the Executive Director (2019) and formerly the Director of Training & Programs (2016) at the BC Society of Transition Houses (BCSTH). In BC, Amy has also been a policy analyst working on violence against women issues as they relate to the workplace and transportation in rural and remote BC. She has been a public interest lawyer for over 30 years and served as the domestic violence Assistant Attorney General at the Vermont Attorney General’s Office working on unsolved homicides and domestic violence litigation, policy, training and legislation, as well as a Legal Services lawyer and Public Defender in Vermont and NYC respectively. Amy oversees BCSTH’s Emergency Management and Service Continuity Project for members and has collaborated with the Canadian Women’s Foundation on their climate emergency work and sits on the Women’s Shelters CA Board of Directors and Advisory Council.

Lisa Benini, MBCP, FBCI, CRM , Certified ISO 22301 Lead Implementer, Benini Consulting Ltd

Lisa Benini is a practitioner in Business Continuity, Risk Management and Emergency Management since 1991. She is certified as Master Business Continuity Professional (MBCP) from DRI International, Associated Fellow from Business Continuity Institute (AFBCI). Lisa has been certified as an ISO 22301 Implementer and she holds an Emergency Management Certificate from JIBC. Lisa is a certified instructor for DRI Canada since 2002. She has her own consulting company since 2000 and has worked with public, non-profits and private sectors mainly in BC. Lisa’s major achievements were developing the Business Continuity Management Program for the BC Government in the early 2000s. She has also created a guideline and template for small business and non-profits on building their business and service continuity plans. She is on the technical committee for CSA Z1600: Standard for Emergency and Continuity Management Program since 2005. Lisa is actively involved communities across BC by providing workshops to special interest groups, local government and associations.